Cantering to confidence: BUCS friendly match review.

With Varsity just around the corner, the teams have been training hard to ensure the best possible chance for a win this season against rivals, Leicester University Equestrian club. Everyone knows the only way to secure a win is practice, practice, practice and De Montfort Equestrian team have embedded this motto into their training by holding a practice BUCS friendly match to get everyone in full competitive mode. This day incorporated some of DMU Equestrian's team riders as well as new intermediates who are hoping to secure a place on the team and Varsity squad next year and used the day as chance to build some confidence and have a go at a BUCS style competition in full show gear.

The successful riders of the day:
Emily Milner (6th), Charlotte Scott (4th), Lorna Stahly (5th)
Gabbi Berrill (3rd), Becky Shraga (1st) and Lizzie Mole (2nd)

The competition on 26th February, included six rider's from De Montfort, with three of the B team riders taking part to get some extra competition style practice before the up and coming Varsity match. The day included running through the BUCS dressage test on one horse and then completing a show jumping round of 80cm on another. The dressage consists of a preliminary style test with circles, change of rein, canter work, trot work and is marked for accuracy of each movement out of ten. As well as accuracy scores, the riders gain collective set marks that look at position, use of aids, impulsion, balance and harmony with the horse themselves. The day was judged by Verity Saul, proprietor and qualified List 6 Dressage Judge who has competed in all disciplines including representing the Northern Region at the BD Senior Home International. Keen to challenge the riders, Verity made sure her marks were a true reflection of the tests and show jumping rounds produced and put everyone at DMU through their paces to ensure the best results. The scores across the board were all extremely pleasing with some well executed tests ridden by all, including some brand new intermediates who haven't rode the full dressage test in months but produced some brilliant flatwork. The horses used included Breeze, a lovely bay gelding who has previously been competed in BUCS matches. Willow, a striking black mare who was ridden by Becky Shraga who also currently competes her in the Preliminary classes for British Dressage. The final horse used on the day was Charm, a sweet tempered, coloured gelding who is great for the more capable and also newer riders, he takes part in all disciplines at Witham Villa.

The show jumping round consisted of a simple six fence course designed to give the team riders a chance to show off all their hard work training, and the intermediates competing a chance to have a go at jumping a full course. The course consisted of a double, spreads and cross poles giving a variety of fences for the riders to tackle as every fence is scored out of ten as well as collective marks similar to dressage that are awarded. The results at the end of the show jumping were brilliant, with lots of clear rounds and high style marks awarded as everyone finished on a high completing both section of the BUCS competition. The horses competed were; Harrison, a favourite amongst the DMU rider's and a excellent jumping pony, Caesar a bay gelding who has been used for all BUCS competitions and Preston, a super pony who is used for all disciplines at Witham Villa.

All the riders who took part did extremely well and found it a real booster for their confidence and a nice relaxed chance to have a go at competing in a friendly environment. B team rider's Becky Shraga, Lizzie Mole and Gabbi Berrill took 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings with an excellent display of strong team riding from all. Charlotte Scott, Lorna Stahly and Emily Milner walked away with 4th, 5th and 6th individual rosettes and personalised certificates as a record of their completion of the day. Judge, Verity Saul was extremely pleased with the efforts from all the riders and the improvement in everyones confidence prior to the 2014 Varsity.

Lizzie Mole, B team rider was really pleased she joined in on the day gaining the top dressage score riding Breeze:

"The friendly competition at Witham Villa was a great day for everybody who came and rode. The atmosphere was relaxed and everyone achieved a rosette placing which was really rewarding and helped improve everyones confidence. It was a great opportunity to be judged by Verity as a top dressage rider in a friendly and familiar environment. I was really happy to have come second and be able to compete on some fantastic horses. Thank you to Gabbi and Becky for running and organising such a fun day!"

Lorna Stahly, a rider who hasn't competed at university before found the day has really motivated her to get back into the saddle:

"It was such a good day! Everything ran very smoothly and because there was no pressure it just added so much more fun to the situation. It was nice to get all dressed up in show gear and see how BUCS competitions really run, almost like a little dress rehearsal! It boosted everyone's confidence and love for riding."

The next few weeks will see the team actively training for Varsity with some more Equi-pilates sessions to work on balance, co-ordination and fitness, as well as some intense flatwork and jumping lessons before the big day. Congratulations to all the girls for their hard work and commitment this year with some brilliant results and buckets of confidence as a consequence of all their dedication to the club and the sport.

Tweet us @DMUEquestrian and keep up to date with the latest horsey happenings!

Getting ready for Varsity 2014 with Equipilates

DMU Equestrian have recently been training hard in order to prepare for this year's Varsity against Leicester University, with two teams being entered with eight of the best rider's from each university competing in the battle of the best!

In order to make sure they are all fighting fit, DMU Equestrian have taken an alternative approach to their training by improving things from the ground with Equipilates sessions. The sessions are Pilates but structured specifically to help horse riders improve position, postural awareness, balance and co-ordination whilst performing any riding discipline as a holistic exercise regime. The sessions are ran by Sara Smith, De Montfort University's very own physiotherapist who works at the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Centre Gym right on campus. As a rider herself, Sara specialises in working with riders to improve their position to help benefit their riding and give positive results from both physical and breathing exercises.

Equipilates is designed to improve the rider's awareness of their own body and the effect movement from the rider has upon the horse and the way they move underneath. Spinal alignment and leg position are significant elements to consider whilst riding and Equipilates exercises help to create a greater awareness of the signals riders give out to their horse from tensing up to body alignment. The Equipilates sessions are designed to create a greater feel for weight distribution and gives riders a chance to assess the loading of their weight and create a more balanced position from the ground, which can be reciprocated whilst riding. Small distributions or an uneven balance of weight can alter the movement of the horse and therefore create a less aligned and even movement from horse to rider and vice versa.

In the recent session provided by Sara, the DMU Equestrian students worked on becoming more aware of their body and the weight and balance that they distribute and trying to centralise this to create a more even centre of gravity. Other exercises involved stretching the various muscles riders use to allow them to become more supple and flexible, involving using various equipment to relive tension from areas such as the quads, lower back and hamstrings.

The session was a huge success with the team feeling a lot more conscious of how groundwork and exercises really can improve your riding! This training is all part of developing the fitness for Varsity amongst the DMU Equestrian team whilst giving a positive experience and something new for the club to take part in. Lizzie Mole, a first year student who rides for DMU B team found the session has really helped her to understand more about her posture and balance which she hopes to en corporate into her riding sessions;

"I loved doing the Equipilates session and I have felt it has benefitted my riding massively. We worked on breathing as well as tensing and relaxing muscles which especially useful for a rider who is on an excitable horse, or even feeling nervous before a competition. We were also taught stretches to strengthen leg muscles and help build on our flexibility. It was a really informative and good session, well worth the early start."

A huge thank you to Sara Smith for running the session, check out her Facebook page and if you would like anymore information on Equipilates or DMU Equestrian please don't hesitate to contact us.

SarahSmithPhysiotherapy
DMU Equestrian Society

DMU continue charity work with local RDA Arden group

Arden RDA the local Leicestershire volunteer group

The RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) are a charity with a difference. They provide positive care and therapy for people living with disability all over the UK with horses and ponies. With over 500 groups, working for over 40 years, with 18,000 volunteers the RDA are a charity that offer an opportunity for alternative 'Hippotherapy' for people living with both physical and mental disabilities. The RDA focus on giving exceptional care and engagement from instructors and volunteers in a safe and comfortable environment for all age groups whilst making it as accessible as possible.

The focus of the RDA is to make sure that the rider's gain a pleasure from working with the animals in order to potentially gain confidence, freedom of movement, enhanced physiotherapy, reach individual goals or build relationships. It has been noted by medical professionals that there are significant therapeutic benefits from the therapy provided for rider's with disabilities. The movement of the horse is transmitted through the rider's body to make them more supple and to strengthen core stability, improving balance, posture and co-ordination.

The girls at DMU Equestrian are now proudly part of the local RDA Arden Group which runs weekly sessions that the team at De Montfort are actively participating in to help local people to achieve their own goals through riding care and therapy. The volunteer scheme runs alongside the DSU volunteer awards system that allows students to log their hours for volunteering allowing them to receive an official certification from the university at the end of the year for all their hard work.

This is not the first affiliation the girls have participated in to do with the RDA, as the naked charity calendar produced by the society gives proceeds to local RDA group, Kimberley House that ride at Witham Villa, De Montfort's nominated training yard. The opportunity to volunteer is open to all society members as no prior experience is required as all training is given through the staff working at RDA to ensure safe and correct practice is executed by all volunteers to clients taking part.

Lybbi Hatton, a member of the society took part in the first training session with the Arden RDA group and was able to see firsthand the benefits riding can have for the disabled as well as other rider's. As a rider who is working on her confidence, Lybbi found the experience a positive reinforcement for achieving her own personal equestrian goals;

"As a person who has gained a lot from the positive benefits of horse riding and seeing the huge impact it can have on someone's well being. The RDA is a fantastic group that creates a safe and encouraging environment for children and adults with disability to learn to work with horses. I throughly enjoyed helping and seeing the faces of the children as they were riding, and how proud they clearly felt was a real pleasure to watch."

De Montfort Equestrian Club will now be making a regular appearance at the Arden RDA yard and hope to work up lots of volunteer hours for the DSU University scheme.

For information on how to get involved please contact us via;

Twitter @DMUEquestrian

Facebook 'DMU Equestrian Society'

DMU Equestrian at the local Arden RDA volunteer scheme